Boudreau: Ovechkin might not play Wednesday

Alex Ovechkin managed to sneak out through a back door at Ketter Capitals Iceplex this afternoon after receiving treatment on what is believed to be a left arm or shoulder injury, and thus avoided a handful of reporters who were camped outside of the Arlington practice facility.

But Slava Malamud of Moscow-based Sport-Express told me he caught up with Ovechkin on the phone. According to Malamud, Ovechkin declined to divulge the precise location or nature of his injury but said that "tests" taken came back negative and that the injury is not believed to be serious. Malamud also said that Ovechkin does not expect to play Wednesday in New Jersey.

When Bruce Boudreau spoke to reporters today, the coach also hinted that his star player might miss Wednesday's game, but that he might return for the back-to-back games against Florida over the weekend. Boudreau said he did not speak to Ovechkin when the two-time MVP came to KCI to be examined by the team's medical staff this morning.

"I would venture to guess that he's more probable for the weekend than he is for Wednesday," Boudreau said.

Ovechkin entered the building wearing jeans and a t-shirt and did not appear to have any brace or bandage on his left arm or shoulder, which is believed to be what's hurting him.

About an hour after Ovechkin arrived, his father got into his car and drove off. Shortly after that, a team spokesman confirmed that Ovechkin had left the practice facility through another exit (there are many here).

If Ovechkin does miss the third game of his career because of injury, it will leave the Capitals looking to snap a two-game losing streak without their best player.

"It means we'll have to buckle down," Boudreau said. "A goal a game, he scores. We have to play better defense. We can't allow four goals and five goals a game. You have to win 3-1 and 2-1. I think we've got enough character guys in there that they will understand what we have to do without Alex. Anytime one player -- as great as he is -- if he makes the total difference on our team, then we're in trouble."

Boudreau said he didn't see what exactly happened to Ovechkin in the scrum in front of the Columbus bench. But he speculated that Ovechkin was injured when he was grabbed during the fracas.

Boudreau said he also noticed that there were seven Blue Jackets on the ice during the scrum, which began when Jason Chimera shoved Ovechkin and Ovechkin shoved him back.

Boudreau confirmed that a couple of Capitals (one was Matt Bradley) challenged Chimera to a fight after the second-period scrum. But according to Boudreau, Chimera declined the invitation.

"We had a couple of guys go and challenge Chimera after that and he didn't want to do anything," Boudreau said. "If he's not going accept that challenge, he's not going to accept a Donald Brashear challenge. So I don't think would have stopped them from doing anything. Because I think the game plan was, every time Alex touches the puck, that somebody run or hit him. That's what it looked like to me."

Pressed on when/how/where Ovechkin was hurt, Boudreau said: "No, I don't [know]. I think it probably happened there [in the scrum]. But I don't know for sure that it happened there."

It's hard to believe Boudreau doesn't know how or when his best player was hurt. It's more likely that Boudreau is trying to protect Ovechkin, who could become a target when he returns to the lineup.

Unlike the NFL, the NHL does not require teams to disclose injuries unless the player is expected to miss a game. And even then, the team doesn't have to comment on the "specific nature" of the injury.

Boudreau said he does not know whether Ovechkin is going to skate when the Caps return to practice tomorrow.

Get better OV!! We need you for years to come
Wed game is not important long term, Hopefully the Caps use the same course of action the Wiz are using right now with Antwan Jamison and make OV sit out a couple to make sure everything is healed up before he goes out and trys to run over someone else

SA-Town, seriously, if a guys only going to play 99.9999999% of your games in 5 years, what good is he? at this point, he's basically untradeable due to his britle nature. i say we ship him to grand rapids and hope a KHL team takes him off our hands....

Oh, I didn't add anything from yesterday's game. Sure, the lead wasn't held - and that's an issue - but two of those goals (the weird bounce of the dasher and the JT stick caught in the net) were crap. It happens but I can handle scoring four and giving up two honest goals.

@Aldred15, You know, I've gotta say when Tarik asked Q about his teammates' possible reactions if he scored a goal in his return from the swine I laughed out loud...thinkin' there's no way Q's gonna get a goal?! ...After eating my words last night you just might be right -- but maybe only 70 goals given the 'late' start. ;)

Rick Tocchet sends a message to Vinny Lecavalier, dropping him to a line with Drew Miller and Stephane Veilleux against the Philadelphia Flyers today, and saying that the star's defensive game and hustle have fallen as his offense has. Can you remember the last time a star of that magnitude was dropped to a checking line? [Lightning Strikes, stick tap to The Skating Penguin.]

here's a thought..how about just taking some nice legal big runs at Rick Nash and Kris Russell? This notion that the only way to retaliate is if the other player accepts an invitation to a fight is a little nutty. You're leaving it in someone else's hands. Scrum around the other net, bump their goalie a bit, take an extra dig at the puck, give someone a slight bump at the whistle, something that basically forced the other team to engage you.

Look at Sid. When he scrums it up, its one on one. Other teams don't go piling on top of him. If they did, you'd get an immediate response on the ice from the Penguins. And then you'd see guys like Mike Rupp and Godard impose their will, bully the other team a bit. I know the argument on the other side is, hey let the refs deal with this, lets get a PP or two out of it. Bah! Its time we dealt with this crap ourselves. Like many other teams do. You can be damn sure if you ran a Boston Bruin that players like Thornton and Chara would find a way to send a message right back, in a very determined and expeditious manner. Ditto another 20 teams in this league.

i agree with you. my post was supposed to be a joke....i'm pretty pissed they just challenged. I mean if a player can take a shot at Ovie and all they have to do is turn down a bradley fight, i really don't see the deterrent

OK; I'm amused. I just popped over to the Blue Jackets blog linked to on this page... the story a page back from the top ended up comparing players to beers - four of their guys are bartending for charity in an event coming up soon - and it's pretty funny stuff!

I'm not much of a beer drinker... but to stave off the boredom before the next game (and keep ourselves from going morose over Ovi), what beer/wine/mixed beverage would you say each of our guys is most like and why?

@Tarik - Ever hear of this little thing called "adrenaline?" It could well be Ovechkin himself doesn't realize exactly when the injury took place, as a result of that kicking around his system. It could be that it took more than one factor.

Haven't you ever - for example - looked down and realized you were bleeding from a paper cut you didn't know when or how you'd gotten?

Come on! Jeez.

Boudreau isn't psychic, and it's really none of our - or the other teams' - business on the precise nature/time/place of the injury!

joek443 is correct. While there's always gonna be an idiot who will run around and risk having his posterior handed to him (like Backes from the Blues with his hit on Semin last season), having a goon can stop a lot of situations from happening in the first place. Many times there is no adequate way to show a tough guy's worth as you can't measure the things that DON'T happen due to their mere presence. After Ovie hit Chimera early on near the player's bench, Chimera went straight to Ovie at the whistle and started talking smack. A well-placed comment by a legit tough guy at that point puts Columbus on notice that if they continue messing with Ovie, then someone goes home with a rearranged face. Instead, the scrum happens later in the game and our best player may be out for a couple of games. Boudreau is just covering McPhee's rear before the lack of a tough guy becomes an issue.

@joek443 - Then how do you explain people running Semin last year with Brashear around to protect him?

I'm sorry, but your argument does not hold water.

@saintex - Totally agreed.

Posted by: irockthered | November 2, 2009 2:14 PM | Report abuse

god forbid i ever try to defend a JoeK argument..but to address IRTR's point about Semin.

Look, certain players in this league will never get deterred no matter what. They'll hit whoever they want to hit regardless of how many goons you carry. What having a tough team (more than even just one tough enforcer type) accomplishes is, it MINIMIZES the instances where your players get run at, and consequently injured.

So as a base example, maybe instead of our players getting run at 100 times in a season, with a tough team concept it occurs maybe 20 times, or whatever. Point being, it minimizes their chance of injuries when they're being exposed to a lesser degree of abuse.

Even when Brash was here, we didn't have a very tough team. Look at a team like Vancouver -- they're a toughness by committee team. They don't have a Boogaard type. But everyone on that team except for the Sedins will scrap and hit and do whatever it takes. I'd rather have that kind of a team than just adding one tough enforcer type who may not even get the minutes he needs to be effective. Contrary to popular myth, its not very easy to enforce from the bench. Glares only carry so much weight. And if a coach puts out his tough guy immediately after a situation has occurred, the refs will probably whistle him off the ice before he can do any real damage, and they'll throw the book at him.

i agree with you. my post was supposed to be a joke....i'm pretty pissed they just challenged. I mean if a player can take a shot at Ovie and all they have to do is turn down a bradley fight, i really don't see the deterrent

Posted by: _stevo | November 2, 2009 2:29 PM | Report abuse

there is NO deterrent on this team except the power play. Which means, you leave it upto the refs to call the right penalties. And you put pressure on the PP to deliver.

Which also means, if the score is 6-1 in favor of the Caps or against us, teams really don't care about giving up a PP goal.

Basically, McPhee's philosophy of not having a tough guy or a tough team is flawed from the onset. It makes absolutely no effing sense. Except the tired old Detroit comparisons or the fact that Godard didn't play in the playoffs for Pittsburgh. Big deal, he played with them all reg season and helped keep their stars healthy FOR the playoffs, I guess McPhee doesn't think that is important.

@cstanton1 - ...if a coach puts out his tough guy immediately after a situation has occurred, the refs will probably whistle him off the ice before he can do any real damage, and they'll throw the book at him.

EXACTLY. What good is an enforcer-type if he gets called as an instigator, or gets a misconduct any time he tries to do his job? The rules today are set up against pure enforcer-types. Barking from the bench works great, but I've seen instances where Brash wanted to have a go, but the other team declined. What good is that? The enforcer's hands are tied by the rules. You can't just punch the snot out of someone any more, and leaving the bench to join a fight is supposed to involve a whole lot of misconducts...

Too bad the referees couldn't count last night. The Jackets would have been down a pair of guys after that fight.

You start by giving your enforcer more than 5 shifts a game so it doesn't look completely premeditated when he takes the ice. Which means, you go find a tough guy or two that can play 15 shifts a game. You'd be surprised how many tough guys in this league get that much ice time on their respective teams. The Caps for whatever reason, don't attempt to develop tough guys.

There's also more ways of enforcing than simply dropping the gloves and pounding another player. Brash was pretty savvy about sending msgs, esp when he played for the Flyers. He would throw some thundering hits and then go park his butt in the crease and get the other team riled up that way. Its pretty hard to ignore a situation when a tough guy is right on top of your goalie pushing and shoving a little. It brings the whole team over which makes it easier for your team to then jump in and engage them a little. Thats where some words fly around, a fight or two break out, and msgs get sent.

Frankly if someone of your team (let alone the league MVP) is jumped from behind right in front of your bench, screw the few games suspension go and help out your teammate. I did not see the whole thing but if they had 7 players on the ice, it would have been self defense...and that is team toughness....on to the see the other BRUUUUUUUUUUCE tonight.

Jason Chimera: "He kind of throw a punch at me, and then [Boll] kind of got into it and it was a mess. There was no intent to hurt somebody out there. He just hit me pretty hard that one shift, so I just let him know 'You're not going to hit me like that all game,' so I pushed him a bit, he punched me back in the face, and a couple shifts later he's off the ice, so I hope he's all right."

Jared Boll: "[Ovechkin] jumped in and I jumped in . The ref said I didn't stop (quick enough) so I got the misconduct. I had him, I don't know what happened. His arm might have got caught on the bench. We stick together and that has been the motto from day one."

For my two cents, I don't think the Caps need a designated goon, and even if they did have one, I don't think it would have changed they way things played out in the game. Didn't Columbus play Ovie the same way last year when the Caps had Brashear? They are a Ken Hitchcock team and getting physical with Ovie is part of their gameplan, and in my humble oppinion, it appears to work. Before the injury, Ovie delivered a couple of big hits but didn't seem to be on his game offensively.

Here's some team toughness for you, displayed by both teams. You stick together on the ice and react with some instinct instead of doing a bean counter in your head of how many PPs you may or may not end up with.

For my two cents, I don't think the Caps need a designated goon, and even if they did have one, I don't think it would have changed they way things played out in the game. Didn't Columbus play Ovie the same way last year when the Caps had Brashear? They are a Ken Hitchcock team and getting physical with Ovie is part of their gameplan, and in my humble oppinion, it appears to work. Before the injury, Ovie delivered a couple of big hits but didn't seem to be on his game offensively.

Posted by: cainoo7x | November 2, 2009 3:12 PM | Report abuse

agreed somewhat but trust me, Columbus doesn't play ALL teams the same way. They're not running Iginla or piling on top of him when they play Calgary. The Flames don't mess around. You'll be in for a war if you go after their star players. Iginla fights when HE wants to.

With the cheap shots that are so prevalent in the game today, perhaps it's time for teams across the board to start using retaliatory violence as an actual tactic and embrace the instigator penalty. Let's face it, every game, the Caps are good for a "lazy" penalty or two, ya know, the garden variety hook or interference when Player A, B, or C doesn't want to move his feet. So, how exactly is getting a 2 minute instigator any worse than that? Okay, so the offender actually sits in the box for 17 minutes. But, the guy who is in that role isn't getting more than 10 minutes of ice time a game most of the time anyway. The lines would have to be shuffled a bit, but so what? That's where the tactical side of things come in. The coaches make a game plan with an expectation that they may have to go with 11 forwards at some point due to someone being in the sin bin for a length of time. Is it really any worse than what Boudreau and company were forced to do yesterday when Ovie missed half the game due to liberties being taken?

I've always thought that...for all the stupid hooking and holding calls this team gets (basically representative of a lazy finesse team), they'd be better served taking a couple instigating or elbowing calls and cutting out the other crap. You know refs try to even things up anyway so even when the Caps get on their best behavior we end up getting called for tickytack nonsense. May as well play the game a littler grittier and then maybe the refs don't call the tickytack stuff.

are there really THAT many exits to Kettler? I've only ever seen the parking lot and the elevator to lower levels of the parking lot. I mean, the place is basically on the roof, so you couldn't "sneak out back," could you? You'd have to take the elevator down, which means, you should have had some reporters at the elevator doors.

I don't disagree with your assessment of the Flames; they definitely watch out for each other. That Tyler Sloan hit from last season comes to mind.

I think the important thing is that it's a team mentality. After Ovie got taken out, Clark or Brads should've dropped the gloves with Chimera (supposedly they tried although I didn't see it). If he declines, like you said, there are other ways to intimidate and retaliate. Personally, I thought the Caps should have taken a few runs at Nash after what happened to Ovie.

Lets be honest here. The overarching issue here is, as the Caps started adding more skill players to the lineup, they were unable (or unwilling) to maintain that degree of grit that we saw with Hanlon's first team. That wasn't a good team but they were a hungry hardworking team that beat teams they had no business beating. And they played with a high degree of grit that resulted in scrums, players sticking up for each other, finishing all their checks etc.

Other teams have been able to upgrade their talent without compromising their grit. The Caps..not so much

Seeing that the Caps did not take any runs at Nash, one can only hope that the reason for this is because they were taking notes on him, in order to study him learn how to attack and still be defensively responsible.

1) Lumberjack out
2) Brads was in the mix
3) the rest of the Caps should man up
4) In the long run, i think having OV out for a few games is a GOOD thing. frankly, this team (or maybe the coach) rely way too much on 3 or 4 guys. this team needs to learn that in order to win the cup, you have to have more than 1 or 2 scoring lines (and that you have to play consistent defense). i thought they played a little more hard and a little more dirty after OV departed. a few missed assignments made the difference. If guys like Stecks, Flash, Brooksie, Knubs and Brads can step up, maybe they can help demonstrate to the team that balancing skill & grit make Cup chances MUCh higher.

When you have a figher like Brashear your fourth line can't score. Yes, good to have a guy like that around, but you give up too much in matchups, depth, etc. Caps fourth line is a problem for opponents this year. I was disappointed Ovie did not return on Saturday, but in long term best to get healthy. Shoulders can last forever.

I've been saying it on this post since day one of Ovie's career - you don't want your franchise player being the goona as well. It's one thing to be a rugged, talented player - it's another to go after people which is what Ovie does. In this league, it will catch up to you. Lindros tried to do the same thing and his career was diminished because of it. And Lindros was much more physically imposing than Ovie. So all those caps fans that have epileptic fits everytime Ovie travels 30 feet of ice to line up a thundering hit - don't cry in your beer when he's on the receiving end of the physical play and has to miss ice time because of it.

One of the things that make OV unique is his size and toughness. To a large degree he can take care of himself. In fighting parlance somebody like crosby is a welterweight among heavyweights and needs someone to "protect" him. OV is a light-heavyweight, I'm not sure he does. Does anyone not see a legal, devasting hit from #8 on Chimera in the near future?

cstanton - you can have the Hanlon team, I'll take my chances with this one...we'll make adjustments over the course of the next 70 games and see what we have.

Posted by: jeets | November 2, 2009 4:20 PM | Report abuse

never said that I wanted Hanlon back. But there were aspects of that team I sure enjoyed watching which started and ended with their work ethic. That was a gritty team without much talent. This is a talented team without much grit. As to making "adjustments" over the next 70 games, thats a joke right? These issues have been occurring longer than just the past few games. If they didn't address it last yr, or this offseason or whatever, what makes you think they'll fix it now? Part is personnel, part is philosophy. I don't see major improvements on either front.

Christmas is around the corner: And old customers can also enjoy the gifts sent by my company in a can also request to our company. Gifts lot,Buy more get the more。Only this site have this treatmentOur goal is "Best quality, Best reputation , Best services". Your satisfaction is our main pursue. You can find the best products from us, meeting your different needs.New to Hong Kong : Winter Dress